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Founded in a Boston dormroom

Texpatriate endorses in Proposition 6

This board recently made endorsements in all the statewide constitutional amendments, colloquially known as propositions, except for this one. Proposition 6, a measure meant to help alleviate the State’s longtime and worsening drought, has received bipartisan support throughout the legislature and the State’s political structure.

The proposition withdraws about $2 Billion from the rainy day fund and specifically earmarks the money for water projects. These projects would be used for a diverse array of projects, including rural development, conservation and sustainability. Given the hyperconservatives who support this legislation, including many members of the Senate, this board remains satisfied that the earmarked money will be used responsibly for worthwhile services and projects.

This simply leaves the question to this board of if the State can afford to withdraw $2 Billion from the rainy day fund for this project. This board’s responsive axiom is that the State simply cannot afford not to. One member of this board lives in Austin, a place where droughts are far more severe than in Houston. Within the hill country, the severe drought suffered by Texans in 2011 never really ended.

As more and more of this State’s lakes and rivers are drying up, the State is forced to take meaningful, comprehensive action. The Water joint resolution proposed and passed by the State Legislature was one of the most thoughtful, pragmatic, bipartisan pieces of legislation there was in this previous session.

While this board laments the ignorance of many in this State who deny the convincing science pointing to man-made climate change, we are happy that, at least, solutions may be made to some of its symptoms.